Lead Poisoning

According to New Jersey Poison Information & Education System, lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause brain damage and other serious health effects in children, adults, and even pets. Lead has been reported to cause learning and developmental disabilities, decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing and brain damage. Lead poisoning occurs when lead paint chips are eaten or when lead dust is either eaten or breathed into the lungs.

Homes built after 1978 are not likely to have lead-based paint or lead in their plumbing, however in older homes lead has been found in dust, paint, water and soil. Lead can also be found in children's costume jewelry, food, dietary and herbal products, and even some candies made outside of the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that today at least 4 million households have children living in them that are being exposed to high levels of lead. No safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead exposure often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized.

Lead Assistance Programs

State Lead-Safe Home Remediation Program

This program identifies and remediates lead-based paint hazards through interim controls to prevent elevated blood lead levels in children and pregnant women. The program targets municipalities in New Jersey with high reported incidence of elevated blood lead levels in children under age six. The target service areas of the State Lead-Safe Home Remediation Program are Atlantic County, Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, Mercer County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Paterson (City), Passaic (City), Union County.

HUD Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program

Thisprogram identifies and remediates lead-based paint hazards through lead abatement to address those units which have children under the age of six with elevated blood lead levels. The program targets 11 municipalities in New Jersey with high reported incidence of elevated blood lead levels in children under age six. Those target service municipalities are Atlantic City, Camden, East Orange, Elizabeth, Irvington, Jersey City, Newark, Passaic, Paterson, Plainfield and Trenton.

Local Events and Programs

Essex County

Newark's Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Newark’s water is lead free when it leaves the city’s water treatment plants and travels through the water mains in the streets. However, when it travels through the water service pipes that connect from the water main on the street to the water taps in homes, it comes in contact with lead materials in the water service line and the residential plumbing. The City of Newark is implementing several city wide programs to reduce or eliminate lead concentrations at the customer’s tap. Learn more about what is being done.

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